Daniel a



(No M0551.

1D. A. SMITH, Jr.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

No. 528,212. Patented Oct. 30,1894.

rigid joint.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL A. SMITH, JR, on WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 528,212, dated October 30, 1894. Application filed April 30, 1894. Serial No. 509,586. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL A. SMITH, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrellas; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in umbrellas andconsists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and definitely pointed out in the claims.

The aim and purpose of this invention are to provide an umbrella which can be folded into a small space. the handle folded upon itself and be readily placed in a trunk or other receptacle and which when open all the parts will be securely locked in position and when desired can be used as a walking stick and which also unites simplicity and cheapness in construction. These objects are obtained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein similar numbers of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a view partly in section, showing my improved umbrella frame partly shut.

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, showing the umbrella frameand stick folded. Fig. is a sectional view showing the jointed rib's,i

sleeve over the rib and spring lock for hold-1 ing the sleeve in the brace.

In the drawings 1 represents the handle or stick made in two parts, hinged together by the link 2. Adjacent to the link 2 the handle is countersunk or cut away and on this:

countersunk portion a sleeve 3 is adapted to slide over the link when the handle is un-: folded 0r straightenedout and thus make a a notched block 4 is rigidly secured and pivoted to this block in any suitable manner are the ribs 6. The ribs are made in two sections 7 and 8. The ribs are of the usual U shape positionand a portion of Near the upper end of the stick.

in cross section and at their adjacent ends are provided with the blocks 9 and 10. Se cured to the adjacent ends of these blocks are eyes 5 and pivotally secured to these eyes are links 11 thus making a hinge connection between the portions 7,8 of the ribs. The block 9 is provided with an aperture 12.

13 is a sleeve adapted to loosely slide over the ribs. The downward and outward movement of the sleeve is prevented beyond the hinge point of the two sections by means of the projection or collar 14: on the lower section 8. The sleeve is provided with an aperture 15. When the sleeve is down over the adjacent ends of the ribs it makes a rigid joint between the two sections and in this i are secured the cords or wires 20. In the braces 16 are slidingly secured the rods 21. The braces near their upper or outer ends are provided with the elongated slots 22 through which the projections or eyes 23 of the rods 21 extend. To'these eyes 23 the lower ends of the wires or cords 20 are secured. The lower endsof the rods 2i are provided with eyes 24. i Y

On the runner 17 is secured the sleeve 25 the upperend of which is provided with an to enter the apertures 15 and 12 in the sleeve and block 9, respectively. The upper end of the block 9 is provided with a bevel 29 as shown in Fig. 3 and. for a purpose hereinafter described.

30 is a ring on the sleeve 13 adapted to prevent an undue outward movement of the spring when the spring is moved to withdraw the pin from the apertures.

By providing the stick with a countersunk portion adjacent to its hinged point and placing the sleeve thereon I am enabled to slide the runner 17 over the sleeve 3 in opening or lowering the umbrella and it will be seen that when the umbrella is lowered it can be used as a walking stick as umbrellas of the usual construction.

When the umbrella is folded ready to be placed in a trunk or other receptacle, it will be seen by referring to Fig. 2 that the runner 17 is above the hinge point of the stick and when it is desired to unfold the umbrella the two portions of the stick are brought parallel and the sleeve 3 slid up over the joint and the runner 17 drawn down, the ribs assuming the position shown in Fig. 1. By drawing the runner farther down the stick, the runner will engage the lower spring 18 on the stick as in umbrellas of the ordinary construction and the sleeve 13 will he slid down over the hingejoint of the ribs thereby makinga rigid joint. When the sleeve 13 is being slid down, the pin on the leaf spring will strike the bevel 29 on the block 9 and when the sleeve is over the joint the spring will force the pin through the apertures 15 and 12, the appertures' 15 and 12 registering as hereinbefore described.

It will readily be seen by this construction that the sleeve 13 is rigidly locked in position and cannot move in either direction and when the umbrella is opened it will be impossible for the sleeve to slide up the ribs thereby breaking thejoints and that the umbrella will then open as an ordinary umbrella; or when the umbrella is in an open position the sleeve will beheld against sudden gusts of wind and that it will be impossible to turn the umbrella wrong side out.

The umbrella is closed in the usual manner and when it is desired to fold the same for packing, the operator slightly opens the same and drawing down the sleeve 25 on the runner 17 the leaf springs 19 will be drawn back by means of the connecting wires 27, rods 21 and wires 20 releasing the pins on the springs from the apertures 15 and 12, and unlocking the sleeve from the ribs. Now by graspingthe braces16 the braces will be forced toward the stick and the sleeve slid up the ribs thereby releasing the joints. The runner is then forced up the stick and the ends 8 of the ribs are thrown back- The handle is now folded as before described and the umbrella is ready for packing as shown in Fig. 2.

By providing the ribs with the collars or projections 14 on the outer sections 8, if the lateral pins 28 on the springs would fail to enter the apertures 15 and 12, the collars will I prevent the movement of the sleeves 13 on the ribs farther than the hinged joints.

Having thus described my invention, what I clainias new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an umbrella, the combination with a stick, of ribs pivoted to the stick formed of two sections, hinge connections for the sections, sleeves slidingly secured on the ribs adapted to slide over the hinges and adjacent ends of the sections, automatic locks on the sleeve for preventing the movement of the sleeve in either direction when the sleeves are over the hinges, a runner on the stick, braces connecting the runner and sleeves, means on the stick for releasing the locks and connections between the locks and said means, substantially as described.

2. In an umbrella the combination with a stick, of ribs pivoted to the stick made in two sections, hinge connections for the sections, blocks in the outer ends of the inner sections having apertures therein, sleeves on the ribs' adapted to slide over the hinges connecting the sections having apertures therein registering with the apertures in the blocks when the sleeves are over the hinges, spring actu ated pins adapted to normally engage the apertures' when the apertures register, a runner on the stick, braces connecting the runner and sleeves, means on the stick for disengaging the pins from the apertures against the tension of the springs and connections between said means and pins, substantially as described.

3. In an umbrella, the combination with a stick, ribs pivoted to the stick formed of two sections, a hinge connecting the sections, a sleeve slidingly secured on the ribs and adapted to slide over the hinge and adjacent ends of the sections, a projection on the outer section adapted to prevent the outward movement of the sleeve beyond the hinge, a lock on the sleeve for preventing the movement of the sleeve in either direction a runner on the stick, braces connecting the runner and sleeves means on the stick for actuating the locks and a connection 12 between the locks and said means, substantially as described.

4. In an umbrella, the combination with a stick, of ribs pivoted to the stick made in two sections, a hinge connection for the sections, a block in the outer end of the inner section having an aperture therein, a sleeve on the ribs adapted to slide over the hinge connecting the sections having an aperture therein registering with the aperture in the block in the inner section when the sleeve is over the hinge leaf spring on the sleeve, a lateral pin on the free end of the spring adapted to en gage the apertures, a runner on the stick, braces connecting the runner and sleeves a sleeve on the runner and connections between the sleeve and springs, substantially as described.

5. In an umbrella, the combination with a stick, of ribs pivoted to the stick made in two sections, hinge connections for the sections, sleeves slidingly secured on the ribs adapted to slide over the hinges and adjacent ends of the sections, a runner on the sticks, braces connecting, the runner and sleeves, locks for rigidly locking the sleeves in position when over the ends of the sections and binge connections and means for releasing said locks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL A. SMITH, JR. I

Witnesses:

G. ARTHUR PENNINGTON, D. G. STUART. 

